Joseph Fallert Brewing Co., Ltd., Brooklyn, N.Y.

Joseph Fallert, brewer, was first listed in the 1876 Brooklyn City Directory with a home address at 248 Meserole Street. By 1880 he was listed individually at his long time plant location at 66 (52-66) Meserole Street. This is in general agreement with early 1910’s Fallert advertisements that indicate that the business was established in 1878.

Fallert was listed this way through 1887. In the 1889 Directory the listing changed to “Joseph F Fallert Brewing Co., Ltd. At this point the business listed both an office address of 86 Lorimer Street and plant address of 60 Meserole Street. In the 1904 Directory, the office location moved to 346 Lorimer Street.

This rendering of the Fallert plant appeared in a publication called “Bushwick and Her Neighbors, Vol 2,” published in 1909.

Fallert’s 1897 calendar highlighted several beers that they marketed under what they called their “Arrow Brand.”

The Joseph Fallert Brewing Co., Brooklyn N. Y. hereby announces that they have adopted and registered labels on their arrow-brand “Alt-Bayerisch,” “Standard” and “Superb” Beer.

Newspaper advertisements for them began appearing as early as December of 1896. This advertisement that appeared in the January 30, 1897 edition of the New York Tribune appears introductory in nature, suggesting that they began bottling them at around that time.

A series of advertisements in December 1896/January 1897 editions of the ‘Brooklyn Eagle” described Alt-Bayerisch as:

A dark beer especially brewed and bottled for family use where a strengthening and healthy beverage is necessary. It’s a food.

Later, in the mid-teens, they advertised a bock beer as well.

At some point, it’s not clear when, Fallert passed away and his son, also named Joseph, took over the management of the business. Fallert, Jr.’s obituary, in the March 24, 1919 issue of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle stated:

Mr. Fallert was born in Brooklyn and educated in the Brooklyn public schools. He went abroad as a young man and studied the brewing business, and following the death of his father, Joseph Fallert, many years ago, succeeded him as president of the Fallert Brewery, to which he devoted all his business lifetime. He was a practical brewer himself and personally supervised all the workings of the establishment.

The 1913 – 1914 Copartnership and Corporation Directory of Brooklyn and Queens listed Joseph Fallert Pres, Bertold Fallert VP & Sec and Charles Fallert Tres. By this time, I assume that Fallert Jr. is the president. He continued serving as president of the company until his death in 1919.

It’s not clear if the business continued to operate during and after National Prohibition. The business was listed in the 1922 Copartnership and Corporation Directory of Brooklyn and Queens and continued to be listed as the Joseph Fallert Brewing Company at the 346 Lorimer Street office location through the late 1930’s. After Prohibition, in the classifieds (today’s yellow pages) for 1935 and 1936 they were listed under beverages even though classifications such as beer, beer gardens, brewers or bottlers were available. In the 1940’s they were still listed in the general phone books at the same address but dropped the word “Brewing” from the company name. By 1950 I don’t see them listed at all.

I should note that I haven’t been able to find any Fallert advertisements during or after Prohibition so it appears they may have been operating in name only. Prior to Prohibition they advertised quite a bit.

It appears that several buildings associated with the brewery are still standing including the offices at 346 Lorimer Street.

I found two champagne style 12 oz Joseph Fallert Brewing Co. Ltd bottles each with the trademark Arrow embossed on it. One is a tooled blob, the other a tooled crown. Both were manufactured no earlier than 1896, recognizing that that’s when Fallert began bottling the brand. The blob probably dates to the late 1800’s – early 1900’s and the crown early 1900’s.